Dog-racing apparatus



April 29, 1930. E, MlTCHELL ET AL 1,756,065

DOG RACING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 29, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l April 29,1930. 1 E. MITCHELL ET AL` 1,756,065

' y DOG RACING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 29, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 APril 29,1930 l.. E. MITCHELL ET AL 1,756,065

DOG RACING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 29, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 29,1930. A E. MITCHELL ET AL 1,756,055

DOG RACING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 29. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I April 29,r1930. l.. E. MITCHELL vET AL DOG RACING A PPARATUS Filed Aug. 29, 1927 5Sheets-Sheet 5 awk@ Patented Apr. 29, 1930 UNITED lSTATI-:s PATENTOFFICE LEW'IS E. MITCHELL, JOHNv L. CONN ORS, AND SOLOMON M. PINELES, OFCHICAGO, ILLI- NCIS, ASSIGNORS TO HARRY B. STAVER, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS DOG-RACING APPARATUS Application filed August 29, 1927. kSerialNo. 216,246.

rlhis invention relates to dog racing apparatus and it has among itsobject-sA the provision of an improved apparatus for carrying anartifical lure in front of the dogs along a race track and improvedvmechanisms for controlling the movement of the lure. The object-s of theinvention will bev best understood from the following description ofexemplifications thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, where- Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a race trackillustrating the construction of the overhead lure track and the lurecarriage supt ported in operative position on the track;

Fig. la is a transverse section through the overhead rail track with aview of the associated bracing arch taken at an intermediate point of aspan between two posts;

Fi 0f. 2 is a transverse sectional view through 4 thek lure carriagewith the associated portions of the rail track structure Il-H of Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the guide roller of the lurecarriage;

F ig. 4 is a side elevational View of the lure carriage and theassociated rail structure taken along the line IV-IV in Fig. 2, the lurearm being in lifted position; l

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a carriage supporting and driving wheel;

Fig. 6 .is a plan yview of the frame strucalong line ture of the lurecarriage along the line VI-VI of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 isV a view similar to Fig. 2 showing ,the alignment of thecarriage when passing over a curved portion of the track;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the racing track;

Fig. 9 is a diagram of the connections of the mot-ors and lure operatingmechanism of the carriage and the associated power generating andcontrolling mechanisms.

The lure drive according to the present invention distinguishes fromthose of the prior art in that it provides a simple and highly efficientdriving carriage for the lure which, though .of small size and lightweight, is capable of operating at very high speeds of the order offifty miles per hour and more.'

The improved lure carriage is provided with track system for operatingthe carriage thereon which, with a minimum of material, secures supportof utmost rigidity and sti'- ness for the railsA upon which the lurecarriage is to run.

Referring to the drawing, an oval racing track 1 as shown in Fig. 8 hasdisposed along the inner side thereof a series of posts 2, the postsbeing formed of T-shape angle iron secured to suitable foundation blocks3,`of concrete for instance,'and stiifened by braces 4 against theAfoundation blocks. "lhe upper end of each post is bent outwardlytowardsthe track 1 and forms an arch 6. 'Extending between the posts within theinner space of the arches 6 are two girders 7 and 8 formed ofV angleiron, one girder 7 being suitably secured to the upper ends of theupstanding posts 2 and the other girder being secured to the bent-overportion 9 of the posts.

The angle irons 7 and 8 thus define an oval runway along the track andon the horizontal portions of said angle irons there are supported tworails 11 and 12, the rails being suitably secured to the angle irons asby means of bolts or welding. A rail track is thus obtained comprisingtwo spaced rails supported on an overhead structure with a free spacebetween the rails.

A carriage is arranged to run on this rail track, the truck of thecarriage consisting merely of two driving motors 16 and 17 and a pair ofstraps 18, 19, to which the two motorsl are secured. The motors are ofthe ordinary commercial form having each a familiar frame with four legs2O at the base thereof. These legs'are suitably connected, as by meansof bolts 21, to the straps 18 and 19. The straps are made of an elasticmaterial such as tempered steel in order to permit play between themotor in the front portion and the motor in the rear portion andadjustment of ythe individual wheels to the track while tendandVavoiding slippage of one or the other Wheel. The motor frames with thestraps 18, l 19, running therebetween thus constitute ay very simpletruck frame Without requiring any complicated structures, full use beingmade of theframe ofthe motors.

Each of the motors 16, '?17.:has directly mounted on the shaft stubs 24extending Yon both sides thereof flanged Wheels 25 adapted y to engagethe 'rails 11 vand r12 to run thereon and be guided'thereby Yalongthetrack.` The shafts 24 With the associatedv WheelsL25-are .mounted onball bearings 26 as illustrated in. Fig. 5, the innerrace,27;ofthe-ballbearings;

being held on-a'sleeve member 28 which is secured tolthe frame ofithemotor61n place fof the; ordinaryisleeve bearing,v the outer racc 29`oaf-the .bearingzbeinglsecured tothe hub of thefvvheel25. ii Springwashers 36.betweenthe end of the sleeve2-8f1andithe acentl portion ofthe *TWheelts25f-s'erve to establish-a icgoo'd 'con-- Yducting.connection .to the'y Wheels so as to. pro# -vide fa connectionfbetweenisome j of i the f terminals vor" the motor zand; thearailswhich; are -nsedfasgone of the; supply lines, 4asivill be more fullydescribed hereinafter.

@Through utilization: or aiscarriage :of such Ysimple* structure ras.described above, which Aconsists@essentially-.eonlyl .of i :the itWo.motors i andrav very flight l:but rm frame :connection therebetweemit'is .possible to :secure high operating speedatvith relatively ysmallmotors.

iThus, a;speedofzfty toxsixty; miles isbeingv'obtainedwiththefmetorshaving each. a' rat lia ing ofonlyythree-piarters of maf-horsepower.

In .order to hold-the. carriageontheitrack .and

pre-,ventiV jumping on l`account: of its .light Weight and highoperating speed, the carriage 1is? providedA with` a pluralityf .ofguide' rollers '31 ssupported on Asuitablebrackets -32eXtendlingfrom:underneathwhefside straps 18 and 19, the ro-l-lers .underlying therails 111` and 12 andthe angle irons iand Sso as to Vopp'o se up- Wardmovement of the carriage ina direction away-fromthe track. Either one ortWo pairs of: rollers fmayi be provided,.=butiinthe preferred fvconstruction itWo pairs of rollers are used disposedunderneath .theftwopairs of'wheels 251of'thei front motor 16 andthe rear motor 17.

, V'ln fa'ddition to the. `electric-,supply current lconnection rthroughtheV grounded rails .11, 12 and the Wheels v25 of the carriagethere rareprovided tWo additional supplyz connections `in the form of .apair :ofcollector forks-35, 36, that areinsulatingly supported side by side onan arched? bracket 37 that is mounted on the twofsidestrap's 18, 19Ibyi-ineans ofA bolts 38. The collector members 35 and 36 are' arrangedto cooperate with the trolley conductors 41, 42

l that are insulatingly mounted on suitable inysulators :43 thatarese'curedto the npper portion o f the arches 6-the conductorsrunningalong the track so `as to supply'current to the 25 collector members35-and 36. pThe-colle'ctor members 35 and 36 are each formed ofaplurality of leaves of resilient conducting material, such as phosphorbronze, each member comprising tWo groups of leaf springs 44, 45 thatare someWl/iat spaced from each other, so that if'one offsaidgroups-of:springsashould jump ofi:1 the trolley conductor,V the otherone will still be making contact. This-is important in View of the rhighoperating speed `and theftendency of thecollector members' 35,36 tobe'thrownout of contact'w'ith the conductors. VThe rearward leaf springmember 45 space betweenfthe two railsll and 12 there is a .iuremechanism.including-a lure arm 51carrying allure 52 'at its lower en'dthereof andl a lure suppcrtingt structure 531IdescribedV hereinafter indetail. .I .The lure supporting` structure comprisesztwolUeshapedstrips55 secured lon"A3 tndnially underneath: the straps 118 and 19.V @n across piece 56 mounted between: the tive oppositestrip's 5.5 thereissecured a rotary` vtorquemotor 57 Which serves to hold the lure -afrm5,1 in operative .position near.' the ground. The upper end of the lurearm 21:: is held upon laterall-ygextendingbracketsl of a gear'segment 62that has -a1-hub member 63 which is journaledonapivot 64 thatis'supported on a bracket-65 extending' .fromone' of the U- lshapedVstrips 55.Y vThe :torque motor 57 is similar in construction toanordinary electric motor, :ndrivhen energizedv it will: rotate its shaft71 like an ordinary electric.-Y motor.

On the-shaft 71 of this torqne'motor there is mounted a pinion-7 2 whichdrives agear Wheel 7 3 that, in turn, is coupledftoifanother pinion v 74 Whichgengagesthe teeth: of the rack segment 162". :'Dhegear Wheel73=With theepinion 74 that is'couplefd thereto-is supported on the'naled on-a bracket 'i7 Sit-hat is-:secured to the {cross-member 56;underneath the torque motor57."f`VV A rlherc is also provided aspringmechanism in' theformxof a-door-check y81 VWhich is supported on-.abracket 82 extendingfrom a cross tie member 83 betweenthetivo lstrips55, the

cross tie member being also of Ue'shape and servingto stien thesiripportingfstructure of the .lure mechanism. rllhe'cl-oor-'clfi'eck 81Ahas Va rotaryactuating shaft 85 onwhich ismounted ari-actuating arm 86to the lend-of Whichis -ryn 1- l roi ating pivotally secured a rod 87which is, in turn, pivotally connected to a clamp 88 on thelure arm 51.The length'of the rod 87 is adjustable; it being composed of a portionhaving a threaded end fitting intol another portion into which it may bescrewed to a greater Vor smaller extent.

' 'The door-check 81 isA so arranged that the spring elementthereoftends to rotate the arm 86 in direction at which the lure arm 51 willbe-lifted fromthe ground so as to bring the lure52 into inoperativeposition, `as shown in Fig. 4 andby dotted lines 51 in Fig. 2. icordingly, when the torque motor 57 is deenergized, the arm 86, whenlooked at in the views of Figs. 1 and 2, will be rotated incounter-clockwise direction transmittingV its movement to the rod' 87which, acting throughthe clamp 83, will, rotate the lurey arm 51 aroundits pivotal connection at 64 until the lure arinf51 is in substantiallyhorizontal position, indicated by thedotted line 51', 2. During thismovement the segment 62 will be the pinion=74-, the gear 73, andtherethrough the pinion' 72 of the cle-energize@ torque motor 57.' lrihetorque motor, in turn, is so'arranged that whenenergized it willrotatethepinion 72 and therethrough the gear wheel '73, thepinion'74'and gear segment 62,

'o'counteract the spring element-of the door-check 81v and bring thelure arm 51 to its downward operative position, as shown in 1 whereinthe lure '52 ishcld near the ground.l l l The door-check 81 is mountedon the structure by Vclamping the supportingbracket 91 of thedoor-'check'to thedownwardly extending bracket 82 by meansofA bolts 9.2,a strut rod 93 extending between a cross piece 94 on the two straps-13and y19 and an extending portion 94 ofthe bracket serving to'additionally stien the-several members against each other.

The entire lure supporting and-operating nuechanismV is built as a unitso as to prevent disengagement of the pinions and gears on account ofjolts during the travel at high speed over any uneven portion of thetrack. nsteadof making the frame of the supporting structure oflstructural sheet metal, the

same result may be obtainedby makingrthe frame in the formv of a castingor in any other suitable manner provided that care is taken thatthe-several operative elements thereof shall maintain positiveengagement during the travel' of thecarriage.

v'.llhe mounting of the rollers 31 is shown in detail in Fig. `3. Eachofthe rollers is formed of an outer race of a ball bearing, the innerrace 97 ofv which is lclamped to the bracket' 32 by means of a bolt 98.

ln order tohold the sections of the girders 7 and 8 and the associatedrails at the proper spacing throughout the length of the spans betweenthe posts, bracing arches 101, as

the associated rails 11, 12, and on the top portion of the archesthere-are mounted the insulators 43 which support the trolley conductors41, 42.

On' the curved portions of the track the outer rail 12 is supported at ahigher level than-the inner rail 11 to form a banked rail track, asshown in Fig. 7, in order to reduce the lateral strain imposed by thecarriage by reason of the centrifugal forces. The individual posts 2 mayalso be used for su )porting reiiectors 110, vthere being provideconduits 111 running along the posts and extending beyond the upperportions thereof, the ends of the conduits with the reflectors beingsupported on suitable braces 112 that are anchored on the arches.

The electric driving mechanism and the power supply connections thereforare shown in the circuit diagram-of Fig., 9. The two inotors16 and 17are of the direct-current type, each comprising an armature 120, a shuntfield winding 121 and a series winding 122. The armatures of the twomotors with the associated series-winding 122 are connected in parallelbetween the two collector members 35, 36. The two shunt .windings 121are-also connected in parallel, one terminal of the twowindingsbeing-connected to the collector member 35 and the other terminal beinggrounded thereby establishing a connection to the-grounded rails 11, 12which serve as one supply `line. -The operating cui'- rent for' the twomotors is obtained from any suitable direct current source, forinstance, a small motorgenerator set- 125 including a direct currentgenerator-126, the two terminals thereof, indicated by the plus it) andminus signs, being connected through a main switch 127 to the trolleyconductor 41, which is engaged by the collector inember 351-that leadsfrom one set of the armature and-eld terminals tothe grounded rai-l 12from which connection is obtained to the other set of terminals of thefield winding 121.

llhe trolley conductor 42 which is engaged bythe collector member 36that leads from the otherof'thetwo parallel connected armatures 120 isconnected to a. contact strip 130 of a controller 131 by Vmeans of whichthe armatures may `be connected either to the other negative pole ofthesupply or to' the trolleyy conductor 41, thus providing a short circuitacross the two armatures for dynamic braking. The controller 131 has acontroller handle 132 and two sets of Contact members 133, 134 forcontrolling the running speed as well as Vthe dynamic braking action.The contact members 133, 134 are bridged by suitable control resistors135, the extreme left of they contact members 133 being connected to thenegative terminal of the supply source and the eXtreme right of thecontact members 134 being connected to the trolley conductor "41. Thehandle 132 has a conducting bridg-` ing member v136 for establishingconducting connections between the conducting strip 130' and theindividual contact members 133 as the handle is being moved from itscentral neutral position to the left or to the right.

To operate the carriage the switch 127 is closed; thereby energizing theshunt field windings 121 of themotors. If the carriage is to bepropelled, the control handle 132 is moved from its neutral position,shown in the drawing, towards the left, establishing a conductingconnection between the strip 136 and ed armatures 1520 and series'windings 122 toV the other contact member 35, the second trolleyconductor, back tothe positive terminal ofthe'supplyk source. Currentwill thus flow through the armatures as well as through the fiel/dwindings causing the two motors to lrive the carriage. Y f

To stop the carriage, dynamic braking action is applied by moving thecontroller 'handle 132 toward the right so as to bring the contactmember 136 inengagement with the contact members 13,4, gradually cuttingout the resistors 135 and increasing the braking action as the handleisy moved to the eXtreme right contact member. In these positions of thecontroller handle 132 the braking circuit of the armature leads from thecontact strip 130 to the trolley conductor 42, contact member 36,through the two Vparallel connected larmatures 120 and field windings121, tothe Y other contact member 135, trolley conductor 41, Contactmembers 130, contact member 136, back to the Contact strip 130, thusproviding a closed circuit for thecurrent flow including more or'less ofthe resistors 135 depending on the position of the handle 132.

Since the Vshunt field windings 121 are at theV same time energizedthrough the closedv switch 137, the rotating'carriage will induce in thearmatures 12() current'owing by way of the closed circuittraced above,this generating 'action causing the carriageto stop.

The lure propelling torqueV motor 57 referredV to above comprises anarmature 1411Y with a series winding 142 that are connected in paralleltothe two windings 121 between i' the contact member 35 and the railconduc-v tor, although, if desired, the torque motor could be connectedbetween the contact member 35 and the contact member 36. Included in theenergizing circuit of the torque motor 57 there is a lure control switch145 comprising a stationary contact member 146 and a movable contactmember 147 pivotally mounted at '148 and provided with a spring 149tending to maintainthe two contact members 146 and 147 in engagement;

The contact member 147 has connected thereto an arm 151 having at itsend a cam roller 152 which is so arranged that by pressing down on saidcam roller, the arm 151 is turned thereby swinging open the contactmember 147 and interrupting the circuit con-V nection with thestationary contact member 146. The switch 145 is so mounted on asuitable bracket 153 extending from the carriage that the roller 152moves in the path of acam 155 supported longitudinally underneath thegirder`8 on the outer side of the .rail 'track at `a point where it isdesired that'the lure arm shall be lifted, for instance, to imitate thejumping of a rabbit over a hurdle, orin order to permanently hold. thelure arm in elevated position independently of the energization of thedriving motors. There is also provided a second switch 157`in parallelwith the lure lifting switch 145 serving to short circuit the lurelifting switch if its action.l is to be cut out.

Assuming at first that the switch 157 is closed and the action of thelure. lifting switch 145 cut out, then the lure lifting torque motor 57will be energized eachftimev the shunt windings 121 areenergized.v0Accordingly, as soon as the switch 127 is closed, the lure arm 51 willbe moved downwardly through the action of the torque motor. The lure armwill be held in this downward position until the circuitconnectionjwhich supplies the two shunt windings 121is interrupted, thatis, until the switch 127 is opened.

If it is desired to cause the lure arm to be lifted over certainportions of the track, for instance, over a portion where va hurdle isto be placed, and the lure is to imitate the jumping movement of arabbit, thefswitch 157 is opened and theV lure lifting switch 145 isbrought into action. As long, as the vswitch 145 is left in closedposition and the main control switch 127 is closed, the lure motor 57will be energized and will hold` the lure in downward position. However,when the cam roller 152 on the arm 151 ofthe switch 145 comes intoengagement with the cam 155, the energizing circuit of the torque motor57 is interrupted causing the spring mechanism in the door-check 81 tolift the lure arm in the manner described above.` This., upward motionof the lure arm will last aslong as the switch 145 is open, and if theswitch remains in this state, for a sufficient lengthY of time, the lurearm will nally reach its substantially horizontal inoperative position.I-Iowraised position when the circuit for the moever, when hurdlejumping is to be imitated, tor is de-energized.

the cam 155 extends only over a short length of the track and'its lengthis so chosen as to release the cam roller 152 as soon as the hurdle hasbeen cleared by the uplifted lure arm. With the cam roller 152 nowreleased the switch 145 returns to its closed position again energizing`the lure lifting motor 57 and caus ing the lure arm to return to itsdownward position. f

The principles and ideas underlying the various features described andillustrated hereinabove are susceptible of embodiment in Lvariety ofother structures that will suggest themselves to those skilled in theart. It is, accordingly, desired that the appended claims y be given abroad construction commensurate with the scp-ope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In an animal racing course in which dogs are induced to run behind alure propelled along said course, a lure carriage, electric currentsupply connections for said carriage, a rotary motor on said carriage, alure arranged to be moved by said motor between an operative andinoperative position, an energizing circuit for said motor, a switch onsaid carriage for controlling said energizing circuit, and a camalongsaid course for op# erating said control switch to cause said lureto move between'the operative and inoperative positions.

2. In an animal racing course in which 'n dogs are induced to run behinda lure propelled along said course, a lure carriage, a lure armsupported on said carriage, an electric motor for moving said lure armbetween an operative and inoperative position, an energizing circuit forsaidk motor, a control switch on said carriage for said energizingcircuit, and means on said course for operating said control switch.

3. In an animal racing course in which dogs are induced to run behind alure propelled along said course, a lure carriage, a laterallyprojecting lure arm pivotally supported on said carriage for swingingmovement in a vertical plane, an electric motor for swinging the lurearm in one direction, an energizing circuit'for the motor, and springmeans for swinging the lure arm in the opposite direction when thecircuit for the motor is deenergized.

4. In an animal racing course in which dogs are induced to run behind alure propelled along said course, a lure carriage, a laterallyprojecting lure arm pivotally supported on said carriage for swingingmovement in a vertical plane, an electric motor for swinging the lurearm from a raised position to alowered position, an energizing circuitfor the motor, and spring means for swingingthe lure arm from a loweredposition to a In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed ournames.

LEWIS E. MITCHELL. JOHN L. CONNORS. SOLOMON M. PINELES.

